Elastic seam with concealed zigzag stitching



M. POPPER ELASTIC SEAM W-ITH CONCEALED ZIG-ZAG STI TCHING Jul 6, 194

3 Sheets-Sheet 1.

Filed June 22, 1944 MAX POPPER INVENTOR ATTORNEY July 6, 1948. M. POPPER 2,444,467

ELASTIC SEAM WITH CONCEALED ZIG-ZAG STITCHING I 7 Filed June 22, 1944 v 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 MAX PO PPER INVENTOR ATTORNEY July 6, 1948. M. POPPER ELASTIC SEAM WITH CONCEALED ZIG-ZAG STITCHING 1944 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed June 22 mad 1+; 23 mOm mam-5 m ammz INVENTOR MAX POPPR ATTORN EY Patented July 6, 1948 ELASTIC SEAM WITH CONCEALED ZIGZAG STITCHING Max Popper, Brooklyn, N. Y.

Application June 22, 1944, Serial No. 541,633

. 1 It is well known that straight line lock-stitching is inelastic and a seam formed with lockstitching will rip and this is a major drawback to present day production of such seams because it cannot be used for ladies undergarments known as slips and especially when the garments are cut on the bias.

In ladies undergarments having sea-ms formed by topstitching, the threads are visible on the right side (normally exposed surface) of the fabric sections. The exposed threads lie on top of the fabric and produce a rough surface at the seams which is objectionable to the production of undergarments of superior quality.

, An object of this invention is to provide an elastic seam of superior quality for ladies silk underwear and similar garments which does away with the tearing of the thread and continual ripping of seams in bias-cut garments.

Another object of this invention is to provide an elastic seam of the class described wherein the cross-wise zig-zag threads prevent the formation of a sharply defined folded edge in the finished product on the normally concealed surface.

Another object of this invention is to provide an elastic butterfly seam wherein the free edge portions of the fabric sections face in opposite directions and wherein the threads are not visible on the normally exposed surface of the garment.

Another object of this invention is to provide a superior trimmed butterfly seam which is adapted to have its free edges trimmed and simultaneously stitched with only very slight modification of known present-day combined trimming and stitching machines.

Another object of this invention is to so position the zig-zag stitching with relation to the garment seam to cause one line of the zig-zag stitching to extend over and beyond one of the seamed edges and thus provide triangularly disposed cross threads having inherent elasticity permitting the seam to yield in extended coacting relation with yielding of the bias-cut fabric sections.

Another object of this invention" is to provide a ridgeless elastic butterfly seam having concealed zig-zag stitching on the normally exposed surface of the garment and wherein a single layer of fabric hinges over on zig-zag cross-threads to permit the formation of a substantially flat surface on the normally exposed face of the fabric after the garment is pressed.

With the above and other objects in view, the invention will be hereinafter more particularly described, and the combination and arrangement of parts will be shown in the accompanying drawings and pointed out in the claims which form part of this specification.

Reference will now be had to the drawings, wherein like numerals of reference designate cor- 2 Claims. (Cl. 112-262) responding parts throughout the several views, in which: i

Figure 1 is a cross-sectional view of an elastic seam made in accordance with this invention, the section being taken as on line l-| in Figure 4, before the top layer of fabric has been turned to the right.

Figure 2 is a cross-sectional view of the elastic seam shown in Figure 1, with the top layer of fabric folded to the right, and ironed over the stitching.

Figure 3 is a bottom seam shown in Figure 2.

Figure 4 is a top plan view of the seam shown in Figure 2, with the zig-zag stitching concealed from view.

Figure 5 is a top plan view of a presser-foot of a zig-zag sewing machine in alined relation with a folder which function jointly to fold a fabric edge and to position the edge fold in line with the needle of the zig-zag sewing machine.

Figure 6 is a cross-sectionalview of the sewing machine shown in Figure 5, the section being taken as on line 6-6 in Figure 5. v

Figure 7 is a cross-sectional view of a modified seam.

plan view of the elastic Figure 8 is a schematic drawing of the seam,

showing the bobbin and needle threads in dotand-dash lines. a

Figure 9 is a schematic drawing, similar to that shown inv Figure 8, and showing one folded edge slightly upturned.

Figure 10 is a schematic drawing showing the folded edge turned overto the opposite side of the seam. I

Figure 11 is a schematic folded edges downpressed.

In the illustrated embodiment of the invention, Figures 1 to 4 inclusive, show the elastic seam I 0 comprising two superposed sections of fabric H and I2. The lower section II has an edge l3 folded against its lower surface.

The upper section I 2 is shown in Figure 1 lying flat and in superposed relation over the lower secdrawing, showing the tion. In this superposed arrangement of the two 7 fabric sections H and I2 the sections are united by zig-zag stitching I4 which, as best shown in Figure 3, comprises two spaced longitudinal lines [5, l 6. The line [5 of the zig-zag stitching pierces the folded edge I 1 while the line !6 of the zigzag stitching pierces only the single layer of fabric l2.

As shown in Figure 2, the upper section of fabric I2 is turned over to the right after the zigzag stitching i4 is completed. The overturned fabric section l2 conceals the stitching. This is best shown in Figure 4.

In its preferred form the seam l i] is bias-cut and has its edges l3 and I8 trimmed so as to exfastened thereto by screws 23. The folder 22 has I a scroll section 24 through which the bottom layer of fabric l I passes and has" its 1 edge 13 turned downwardly. The upper layer of fabric I2 .is guided by a gauge 25 so as to provide an extended edge l8 the same distance from the line of stitchingasthe'downturned bottom edge 13.

A presser-foot 26 has a recessed toe orfront portion providing aguide wall- 21 in alinement 'with-a-tongue 28 of the folder 22. The presser *footguide wall- 21 and the tongue28-function jointly to fold the fabric edge 13 in linewith the needle 29 of the zig-zag sewing machine.

Figure '7 is a cross-sectional viewof a modified ela'stic searn'dfl whereinthe zig-zag'stitching it does not extend over and'beyondthe folded edge 11'. The threads pass through all the layers of fabric and provide reinforcement to the seam.

It is to be noted that-the presser-foot 26 has .atits lower face two=horizontal surfaces lying in'difierent planes, alower surface to the right which is in contacting relation with the single layer of fabric 18 and a higher surface which is in'contacting relation with three layers of superposed fabric. This arrangement ofthe lower face portion 'of'the foot 26 in different planes permits the bobbin thread (not shown) to pullthe single -layer of fabric 18 downto theplane ofthe folded lower edge i3. "This down-pressing ofthe single layer edge portion 18 to the plane of the folded edge-l3 permits the superposed single layer of fabric l2 to be hinged over to the right and so that thetop surfaces of 'the layers H and I2 arc substantially'in a single plane. The superposed layer i2 is hinged over on the zig-zag crossthreadsbetween'thelines l5 and 16 and-downpressed over the stitching by the pressing action of an ironing machine so that in'the top plan View shown in Figure 4 the fabric sections it and 12 appear in substantially a'single plane and no zig-zag stitching is visible.

-Figures 8 to '11, inclusive,- show the steps'in the production of the elasticseam-h'erein described, 'the "threads being invisible on the normally exposed surface of the garment.

Inthe process of making ladies undergarments with the ridgeless elastic butterfly seams herewith disclosed, when all the seams are completed; the respective garments are turned inside cut, pro- "viding substantially tubular enclosures. In this -tubular form, the single layer of fabric hinges over-to theopposite side over the zig-zag crossthreads. The pressing operation flattens and "causesthe outer fabric to envelope and substantially conceal the stitching from the normally exposed surface 'of the garment.

An elastic seam of the nature herein described is ver desirable for making ladies silk underwear and-similar garments of fine texture, be- "cause very delicate fabrics are employed for such garments andit is very, essential to prevent ripping of seams.

In accordance with the patent statutes I have described and illustrated thepreferred embodi- *ment of my-invention; but itwillbe understood .claims.

Iiclaim: 4 l. The method of forming a flat and ridgeless butterfly seam for a garment by joining together two bias-cut sections of fabric, which comr prises folding an edge portion of one section '10-- ..the other section on top of the first section whereagainst the bottom face of said section, placing by the folded over portion of the first section appears below b'othof said sections, uniting said sections bytwo-thread zig-zag stitching in slightly spaced longitudinal lines, one longitudinal line extending over and beyond. the folded edge and piercing only a single layer of downpress'ed fabric, and the other longitudinal line piercing both-of said sections of fabric including said folded edge, said line of zig-zagstitching extending overand beyond the :said folded edge holding sa'iddownpressed layer and providing triangularlydisposed cross-threads having inherent elasticityand permitting said seam to yield'in extended coacting relation with yielding of said bias-cut fabric sections, said cross-threads" serving toii'prevent theformation of sharply defined and ridgedfolded edges, turningthe garment in which said seams are formed'inside'out and causing each single layer of fabric to hinge over said cross'ethreads, pressing said seamed portions to flatten said portions and with zig-zag stitching substantially concealed from view on said normally exposed surface.

2. In an, elastic two-ithread zig-Zag stitched butterflyseamfor garments for securing .two sections of fabric with'the stitching in concealed relation. onthe normally. exposed surface of the garment, each section having a folded edge. portion providing upper and lower layers, said folded edge portions facing in opposite. directions and being in slightly superposed relatiomsaid zig-zag stitching piercing said edges of said sections of fabric in slightly spaced longitudinal lines, one longitudinal line extending through and piercing only the lower layer of. one of said fabric sections, and the other longitudinal line piercing said first mentioned layer of fabric and both layers. of the other fabric section, each. of said foldededges being trimmed so as to extend an equal distance from saidzig-zagstitching and forming a trimmed butterfly .seam, said .zig-Zag, stitching providing triangularly disposed cross threads having inherent'elasticity, permitting. said seam to yield in extended coactingrelation with yielding .of said fabric sections, saidfolded edges whensaid garment is pressed, tending to liesubstantially. in a single plane with said 'zig-zag stitching concealed-from view on the normally exposed surface 'of said garment.

MAX. POPPER.

-' REFERENCES CITED .The, :following references are. of record-in the file not this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS 

